Digital Only Subscription
Read the digital e-Edition of The Standard-Speaker on your PC or mobile device, and have 24/7 access to breaking news, local sports, contests, and more at standardspeaker.com or on our mobile apps.

Digital Services
Have news alerts sent to your mobile device or email, read the e-Edition, sign up for daily newsletters, activate your all access, enter contests, take quizzes, download our mobile apps and see the latest e-circulars.

Article Tools

Kids-for-cash figure Robert J. Powell is on the hook for $5.5 million he owes to a local bank, the state Superior Court has ruled.

In three separate opinions issued last week, the court refused to vacate judgments that Powell owed First National Community Bank the money on a series of defaulted loans guaranteed by his Butler Township law firm.

Powell, 54, served an 18-month federal sentence in connection with $770,000 in kickbacks he paid to two Luzerne County judges who were instrumental in placing juveniles in two detention centers of which he was a co-owner.

Powell pleaded guilty to failing to report a felony, testified in court and surrendered his law license as part of a plea agreement with federal prosecutors. Powell also agreed to forfeit a yacht and his interest in a private jet. He was released from custody in April.

Three of the defaulted loans were made to a company backed by Powell and the judges that was involved in a failed housing development in Mountain Top.

The other loans were made to Big Kahuna Realty LLC, a Powell-controlled firm that owned the building that housed his former law offices.

Efforts to reach Powell for comment were not successful Monday.

We welcome user discussion on our site, under the following guidelines:

To comment you must first create a profile and sign-in with a verified DISQUS account or social network ID. Sign up here.

Comments in violation of the rules will be denied, and repeat violators will be banned. Please help police the community by flagging offensive comments for our moderators to review. By posting a comment, you agree to our full terms and conditions. Click here to read terms and conditions.